The majority of Americans drink coffee on a regular basis, and many of us can hardly start our day without a cup. Add a cup of coffee to a rushed morning, however, and the dreaded coffee stains can easily arise. A big brown stain on your shirt–or worse, your white carpet–can look serious, but it’s no reason to panic! Stop furiously scrubbing at (and spreading) the stain with a dry paper towel–Dropps is here to help. Read on to learn how to remove coffee stains easily and effectively.
What causes coffee stains?
A dark coffee stain may look scary, but how do they occur? Coffee contains organic compounds called tannins, which can easily stain clothing (and your teeth). Tannins, which are also found in tea and wine, contribute to the bitter taste and dry mouthfeel that so many of us love in our coffee. Tannins have been celebrated for their antioxidant benefits and have been known to have anti-inflammatory properties.They are also used as a naturally occurring dye due to their rich color. So when you spill coffee, tea, or red wine, you have tannins to blame for any resulting stains.
Luckily, coffee stains don’t need to be permanent. It’s easy to remove coffee stains from clothes–so no one needs to know about your clumsy start to the day.
How to Remove Coffee Stains
What you’ll need: Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent, Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent Pods, Oxi Booster Pods
Step 1: Soak
Fill a clean sink or basin with warm water and soak the stained item. If the stain is still wet, you can run water through the back of the stain to start the stain lifting process early. You want to remove as much of the coffee from the fibers as possible. Fully submerge the garment to prepare for spot cleaning!
Step 2: Spot Clean the Stain
Use one pump of Ultra Concentrated Detergent as a spot treatment. Gently dab the stain with the detergent and allow it to sit. Our Ultra Concentrated Stain & Odor Detergent contains enzymes designed to break down stain causing culprits like fats, proteins, and sugars. You should see the stain begin to lift in real time as our Ultra Concentrated Detergent works its magic. Rinse the stain in a basin or under running water and watch as the coffee washes away. Depending on the material and severity of the stain, you may want to repeat this process or allow the detergent to sit for a longer period of time.
Step 3: Wash
When you are satisfied with the spot treatment, wash the item in the warmest water suggested by the garment’s care label with a Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent Pod. You can also add an Oxi Booster Pod to the wash for extra brightening and whitening! Our Oxi Booster Pods are a chlorine-free bleach alternative that tackle stubborn stains and odors without bleaching your clothes or adding harsh chemicals to your washing routine.
Step 4: Dry
When the wash is done and the stain is gone, dry the item as usual according to the care label. Be sure the stain is fully lifted before putting the garment in the dryer, as the heat from a dryer can cause any remaining stains to set further and be more difficult to remove in the future. Once the stain is fully gone, you can dry the item worry-free!
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions about how to remove coffee stains? We’re here to help.
How Do You Get Dried Coffee Stains Out?
It is always best to remove stains as soon as they occur, but a dried coffee stain doesn’t mean a ruined shirt! Dried coffee stains can be removed by following the instructions above. Depending on the severity of the stain and how long it has been allowed to sit, you may need to repeat the spot treatment process to fully lift the stain.
Are Coffee Stains Permanent?
Coffee stains may look bad, but they aren’t permanent–as long as you know how to remove them. The quicker you treat the stain after occurring, the less likely it is to set and become permanent. Your chances at stain fighting success are higher the sooner that you treat the stain–but leaving it until the end of the day doesn’t mean that your garment is doomed. Use a high quality stain fighter that contains enzymes, like our Ultra Concentrated Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent. With a pump of detergent and a little patience, the stain should lift in most cases.
Can Baking Soda Remove Coffee Stains?
Baking Soda is a great way to remove coffee stains from mugs and dishes–but it can also be used for coffee stain removal from clothes in a pinch. Wet the stain with water, then make a paste of one part baking soda to three parts water. Apply this paste to the stain as a spot treatment and allow it to sit for up to an hour. Rinse the paste and wash the garment as usual!
Does Coffee Come Out of White Clothes?
Coffee can come out of white clothes–but be sure to act fast! White clothing stains more easily than dark or colored clothing, so it’s important to treat the stain as soon as it occurs. When treating a stain on white clothing, we recommend adding an Oxi Booster Pod to the wash for extra whitening and brightening power. You can also soak the affected garment in an Oxi Booster Solution for an extra cleaning boost!